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New Products

All-in-one microscope for advanced imaging, recording and measurement

KEYENCE Corporation has released a new multipurpose microscope. The VHX-700F allows users to leverage some of the advanced functions of the VHX Series, such as Depth Composition and 3D Display, while offering the same image quality and primary measurement capabilities at a lower price point. The VHX-700F incorporates observation, measurement, and image recording capabilities into a single device, while offering all of the imaging techniques found in traditional inspection equipment. The microscope boasts a 0.1x ??? 5,000x magnification range and provides bright field, dark field, and transmitted illumination. Additional attachments offer polarized, diffused, and DIC imaging methods. Users can also inspect inside of small openings with a complete lineup of borescopes and fiberscopes.

By combining the technology generally found in stereoscopic, metallurgical, measurement, and scanning electron microscopes, the VHX-700F is able to accentuate the strengths of these systems while avoiding many of their limitations. Not only can images be captured entirely in focus with the exceptionally large depth-of-field, but a variety of measurements can be completed directly on the image with just a click of the mouse. A multi-angle stand is paired with a rotating stage to allow 360 degree views without the need to fixture or manipulate the sample, and the camera easily detaches for handheld, non-destructive imaging of larger parts.

LEXT OLS4100 laser confocal microscope

Olympus tannounced the release of the LEXT OLS4100 laser confocal microscope system. Designed to deliver nanometer-level imaging, accurate 3D measurement, and outstanding surface roughness analysis, the OLS4100 features auto brightness and a new high-speed stitching mode.

The OLS4100's auto brightness setting is part of an automatic 3D image acquisition system that allows even first-time users to quickly acquire 3D images with the click of a button, greatly reducing image acquisition time. A new high-speed stitching mode allows the user to specify target areas from wider-area stitched images.

The OLS4100 employs a dual confocal system that, when combined with its high-sensitivity detector, enables the capture of clear images from samples consisting of materials with different reflectance characteristics. In addition to the laser image, the OLS4100 uses a white LED light and a high-color-fidelity CCD camera to generate clear, natural-looking color imagery comparable with that obtained with high-grade optical microscopes. This color image can be overlaid upon the 3D laser image for a 3D representation of your sample.

The OLS4100's new multilayer mode is capable of recognizing the peaks of reflected light intensities of multiple sample layers and setting each layer as a focal point, making it possible to observe and measure the upper and lower surfaces of a sample with a transparent coating. This multilayer mode also facilitates the observation and measurement of multiple layers of transparent materials.

3M QDEF brings 50% more color to LCD devices

3M announced it is in the final stages of scale-up for its new 3M Quantum Dot Enhancement Film (QDEF). The new film allows up to 50 percent more color than current levels in liquid crystal display (LCD) devices. 3M has teamed with Nanosys, Inc., to produce the 3M QDEF solution specifically to deliver more color, and to make devices such as smart phones, tablets and televisions, lighter, brighter and more energy efficient.

QDEF utilizes the light emitting properties of quantum dots to create an ideal backlight for LCDs, which is one of the most critical factors in the color and efficiency performance of LCDs. A quantum dot, which is 10,000 times narrower than a human hair, can be tuned to emit light at very precise wavelengths. This means display makers can create a highly-optimized backlight that only produces the exact wavelengths of red, green and blue light needed by an LCD for optimal color and energy performance. Trillions of these quantum dots protected by barrier film fit inside an LCD backlight unit. The new film replaces one already found inside LCD backlights, which means the manufacturing process requires no new equipment or process changes for the LCD manufacturer.

The CoatsClean process and chemical formulation are engineered to perform at higher temperatures, resulting in faster stripping rates and cycle times. This enables CoatsClean to operate as a single-wafer process for thick resist films and difficult-to-remove resists???resulting in improved performance, consistency, reproducibility and repeatability. The engineered formulation also enables selective stripping of the resist.

CoatsClean is also unique in its ability to dispense a small amount of material on the top of the wafer, and then activate the material with direct heat. This direct utilization of the material and heat dramatically reduces the strip material used. CoatsClean uses fresh solution for each processed wafer compared to competing techniques that use an immersion bath???resulting in greater process efficiency and eliminating cross contamination. The highly selective application of resist strip material eliminates damage to the wafer backside. The entire CoatsClean process is performed in a single bowl, which reduces tool footprint.